Safety pole or shafts for vehicles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

J. P. KLINE.

SAFETY POLE 0R SHAFTS FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889..

John Plfline.

T T D F N E Y N. PETERS, PhonrLilhu n m-r. wad-W5", D.c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.. J. P. KLINE. SAFETY POLE OR SHAFTS FOR VEHIGLES. N0. 408,242. Patented Aug. 6, 1889" W1 [1155555 Arm/2111271 Q iafiwllww John. Plflz'na :EIYHIS'ATTUHNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PETER KLINE, OF TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS.

SAFETY POLE OR SHAFTS FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,242, dated August 6,1889.

Application filed May 18, 1889. Serial No. 811,325. (No model.)

To (0Z5 whom it may concern:

Beitknown that-I, J OHNPETER KLINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Texarkaia, in the county of Miller and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Poles or Shafts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to safety poles or shafts; and it consists in the novel c011- struction and arrangement of its parts.

My safety pole or shafts are designed for safety when'horses are left standing attached to the wagon, carriage, or other vehicle, or when they become unmanageable or try to run away. By the use of my invention they are easily and quickly detached from the vehicle and it becomes their hitching-post. If horses are trying to run away, a child can detach them from the wagon, carriage, or other vehicle, and thus make them stop, as when detached the whole weight of the vehicle bears on the bit. Persons getting in and out the vehicle will not be annoyed by a spirited horse trying to start before the driver is ready. The lock maybe locked or unlocked while the driver is in the vehicle, saving the trouble of hunting a hitching-post or carrying aweight. WVhen you wish to attach the team to the vehicle, back the horse or team. and the lock locks itself. To unlock it, pull the lower strap and the lock will unlock.

My invention is described as follows:

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my invention applied to a pole. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail views. Figs. 6 and 12 are perspective views of my invention when applied to shafts. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11-, and 13 are detail views.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the wagon tongue or pole.

to represent checkrein-holders countersunk in the sides of the pole, so that there will be no projection to injure the team; or proper checlnein-holders maybe put underneath the tongue. The cheekreins a extend forward and are attached to the bridle-bits. A perforated block a ora staple, is mounted on the upper face of the pole, nearits front on d, through which extends a rod B. This rod B has attached to its front end a cap Z), which fits over the end of the pole A. Over the end of said cap b is put the leather fastening,breast-pole, and straps Z). The rear end of said rod 13 is screwed into the front end of the lock-plate O, the threaded opening being deep enough to adjust the length of the rod to the pole or said rod may be integral with said plate, and the adjustment made at the front end by any of the ordinary methods.

The lock-plate O consists of a plate-base 0,

having in its center an elevation 0, provided.

with a locking-notch 0 said elevation tapering from said notch backward to a thin edge. Said lock-plate fits into a guide D, which is secured on the upper face of the pole. On the upper face and near the rear end of the pole is secured a spring-catch E, the front end of which is provided with a lockingspur 2, designed to catch into thelock-notch o of the lock-plate O. Extending from each edge of said spring-catch are lugs 6. Immediately under said lugs are pivoted wheels F, which are partly concentric and partly eccentric, having upper and lower arms f and the locking-hook f. To these arms f are attached straps f. On the upper face of the lock-plate O is pivoted the doubletree G.

The operation of my invention is simple and may be described as follows: The pole is attached to the vehicle, the rear end of which may be any shape or design, it being necessary only that it be straight, or nearly so, from the point where my spring-plate E is attached to its front end. To unlock the lock, the lower straps f are pulled on. This turns the wheels F, the lugs e riding on the concentric periphery f until it passes out from under the locking-hook f then rides upon the eccentric part of the periphery f which raises the spring-plate E and releases the lock-plate 0. So if the team moves forward said lock-plate G will slide forward in the guide D and through the perforated elevation a and carry with it the doubletree G, cap I), and breast pole b; but before the said lock-plate reaches the front end of the guide D the checkstraps a, which are attached to the bridlebits, become taut, and thus the vehicle to which the team is attached becomes their hitching-post. Then the driver wishes to attach his team, he backs it, and the lockingplate C slips under the spring-plate E. He then pulls the upper straps f, which turn the wheels F backward, lets the locking-spur 6 into the lock-notch c, and brings the lockinghooks f immediately over the lugs e of the spring-plate E, which keep the said springplate tight hometo its place.

In applying my invention to shafts the principle is exactly the same, the pieces being slightly varied to suit, the shape of the guides I), being slightly changed for the lockingplates 0 to slide in, the rods 13 being hinged in one or more places to accommodate themselves to the different shape of shafts, and instead of the caps b fitting on the end of the pole they slide down around the shafts some distance from their front ends, and the locknotch 0 may go entirely through the plate 0, the spring-plate E, lugs 6', wheels F, arms f, and lock-hooks f being practically the same, the check-straps a and backing-strap being attached one to each shaft.

Having described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination of the pole A, provided with the hitch-rein holders a, hitch-reins a, perforated elevation or staple a and the guide D, rod B, passing through perforated elevation a and having on its front end the cap I), fitting over the front end of said pole, its rear end screwed into or otherwise secured to the lock-plate C, lock-plate 0, having the base 0, elevation c, and lock-notch c springplate E, having the catch projection c and lugs 6, wheels F, having their peripheries partly concentric and partly eccentric and provided with the upper and lower arms f, and lock-hooks f said wheels being pivoted immediately under said lugs, said arms being provided with straps f, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the pole or shafts A, provided with hitch rein holders a, hitchreins a, and guides D, rods B, having on their front ends the caps b, fitting over the front ends of said pole or shafts A, their rear end attached to the lock-plate 0,10ck-plate G, having the base 0, elevations c, and lock-notches c spring-plates E, having the catch projection 6 and lugs 6, wheels F, having their pcripheries partly concentric and partly eccentric and provided with the upper and lower arms f, and lock-hooks f said wheels being pivoted immediately under said lugs, and said arms being provided with straps f, substantially as shown and described,

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two, Witnesses.

JOHN PETER KLINE. Vitnesses:

WILLIAM THOMAS PULLEN, THOMAS COLIN EVANS. 

